1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb structure and a method for manufacturing the honeycomb structure.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, particulate matter (hereinafter, also referred to as PM) such as soot contained in exhaust gases discharged from internal combustion engines of vehicles such as buses and trucks, construction machines and the like, and other harmful contaminants have raised serious problems to the environment and the human body.
For this reason, various porous ceramic honeycomb structures have been proposed as filters that capture PM in exhaust gases and purify the exhaust gases and also as a catalyst supporting carriers that convert contaminants in exhaust gases by allowing the exhaust gases to pass through the inside of the honeycomb structures.
With respect to such a honeycomb structure, there has been known an aggregated honeycomb structure formed by combining a plurality of pillar-shaped honeycomb fired bodies each having a large number of cells placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction. In such an aggregated honeycomb structure, an adhesive layer is formed on each of side faces of the honeycomb fired bodies, and the respective honeycomb fired bodies are bonded to one another with the adhesive layer interposed therebetween.
Several methods have been disclosed as a method for combining the honeycomb fired bodies during the manufacturing process of the aggregated honeycomb structure.
JP-A 2004-262670 has disclosed a method for joining a honeycomb structure in which a plurality of honeycomb fired bodies (honeycomb segments) are laminated with an adhesive layer interposed therebetween and the entire laminated honeycomb fired bodies are pressurized at the same time to carry out the bonding process. JP-A 2004-262670 has disclosed that, use of this method for joining a honeycomb structure allows the respective honeycomb fired bodies to be joined to one another uniformly with a desired adhesive strength regardless of the order in the stacking process.
Moreover, JP-A 2000-7455 has disclosed a method for joining honeycomb fired bodies (ceramic structured bodies) in which vibrations as well as a pressing force are applied to honeycomb fired bodies to join honeycomb fired bodies to one another. JP-A 2000-7455 has disclosed that the application of vibrations as described above permits manufacturing a honeycomb structure configured with the honeycomb fired bodies bonded with a high adhesive strength.
The contents of JP-A 2004-262670 and JP-A 2000-7455 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.